Ultimate Wigan Athletic Website

The Foreign Legion

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Wigan isn't exactly known for being a cosmopolitan place - you need a passport to get to Haydock, and you can live in the town for fifty years and still not necessarily be a "Wigginer". So it may be some surprise to chart the number of players who have appeared for the club in the Football League who were not born in the British Isles (and for this purpose I am excluding the Irish Republic from the definition of "foreign").

Of course, that definition then makes for some interesting facts (well, mildly noteworthy, if not ACTUALLY interesting): Latics' first foreign player was that wily Scot - from India - Colin Methven!! We had Graham Houston from Gibraltar and David Adekola from Nigeria before the Three Amigos turned Wiganers eyes to foreign climes.

There have been those that have made an impact: Jason De Vos, Arjan De Zeeuw, John Filan.... and then there was Pasquale Bruno who played for 45 minutes against Grimsby before he said "sod this", German-born Robin Taylor who made one sub appearance in the League at Cardiff before going off to Loughborough University, and Magical Magyar Gabor Bukran who showed great promise pre-season and appeared in the League against Brentford, but obviously misread the signs when he asked for a big signing on fee - he doesn't know Mr Whelan!!


Jason Roberts scores a penalty for Grenada v USA
CONCACAF Cup June 2004 - Photo copyright Andy Mead YCJ
Although playing for Grenada Jason was born in London so doesn't qualify for this list

I think this list is fairly comprehensive - but if anyone has any amendments please e-mail me.

PlayerBornPlayed
Dariusz AdamczukPoland2001
David AdekolaNigeria1994-1995
Stefan BidstrupDenmark2000-2001
Pasquale BrunoItaly1998
Gabor BukranHungary2001
Henri CamaraSenegal2005 to date
Pascal ChimbondaFrance2005 to date
Jason De VosCanada2001-2004
Arjan De ZeeuwHolland1999-2002 and 2005 to date
Isidro DiazSpain1995-1998
John FilanAustralia2001 to date
Per FrandsenDenmark2004
Stephane HenchozSwitzerland2005-2006
Graham HoustonGibraltar1986-1987
Andreas JohanssonSweden2005 to date
Denny LandzaatHolland2006 to date
Roberto MartinezSpain1995-2001
Colin MethvenIndia1979-1986
Gino PadulaArgentina2000-2001
Jeff PeronFrance1999-2000
Paul ScharnerAustria2006 to date
Jesus SebaSpain1995-1996
Kevin SharpCanada1995-2002
Josip SkokoAustralia2005 to date
Jorg SmeetsHolland1997-1999
Robin TaylorGermany1989-1990
Luis Antonio ValenciaEcuador2006 to date
Reto ZieglerSwitzerland2006